Vacuum cleaning water separator



M. DE J. ORTEGA VACUUM CLEANING WATER SEPARATOR Filed Juiy 12, 1950 INVENTQR. MAM/ad: lazy-5,4

ATTORNEY water is aspirated directly fromthe floor.

Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANDN G WATER SEPARATOR Mario De J. Ortega, Asharoken Beach, N. Y.

Application July 12, 1950, Serial No. 173,292

. The present invention relates generally to water separating apparatus for removing water from surfaces or receptacles by suction means.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is suitable for use with the usual home type of vacuum cleaner to permit water to be aspirated from a wet floor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described for removing water from floors or other surfaces by suction means, supplied by the usual domestic type of vacuum cleaner, in which novel and improved means are provided for preventing the water thus removed from entering or damaging the vacuum cleaning apparatus.

A further object of the invention isto provide a water separating apparatus of this character which is light in weight and which may be readily carried from place to place in the course of cleaning a floor, or other surface.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be readily disassembledfor cleaning and for the dumping of accumulated water.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described for removing water from surfaces such as floors, etc. by suction means, in which novel means are provided for automatically shutting oif the supply of suction when a predetermined amount of water has been accumulated. I I I; ..I

A still further object of' myinv'ention "is'to provide a household device of the character described which shall comprise relatively few and simple parts, which shall be simple in operation and use and which, at the same time, shall represent a marked advance in the art. I g

It is a feature of the invention that a 11001 may be scrubbed with soap and water in the usual manner. After completion of the scrubbing operation, however, instead of removing the water from the floor by means of a mop or rag, an ordinary household vacuum cleaner, when connected to the separating apparatus of the present invention, serves as a suction pump and the dirty The separating apparatus embodying the invention is interposed between the suction brush or other aspirating 'device and the vacuum cleaner or other suction device andserves to separate out the dirty water from the stream of air which has aspirated the water from the floor. present invention thus avoids the tedious labor of mopping the floor and repeatedly wringing out the mop. I

The

4 Claims. (01. 183-41) Other objects of my invention will become apparent uponreading the following specification together with the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an apparatus constructed and arranged according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3.3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3

and illustrating only the labyrinth structure;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and illustrating a hose latching device;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the separating apparatus of my invention comprises a housing or closed chamber comprising a lower receptacle II in which water may accumulate and an upper cover member [2. The receptacle member H is outwardly turned at its upper edge to provide a flat annular surface [3 for engagement with a resilient gasket l4 carried by the cover l2. At its lower edge, the cover [2 is provided with a downwardly extending peripherally enlarged portion IS, the interconnecting material l6 between enlarged portion I5 and main portion of cover l2 forming a groove sloping downwardly and radially inwardly throughout its entire circumference.

A pair of'toggle catches [6a disposed on diametrically opposite sides of receptacle H are shown provided with operating levers I1 and hooks 18. When operating levers I? are pressed inwardly toward the sides of receptacle II, the hooks l8 are brought to bear downwardly ,on the upper edge of peripherally enlarged portion [5 of cover l2. The downward and radially inward slope of interconnecting material i6 providesa suitable surface for engagement with hooks I8 such that these hooks cannot slip off until operating levers I! are moved to release the hooks. When toggle catches lfia are closed, gasket [4 is compressed between receptacle ll and cover l2 thereby providing an eifective seal and preventing the leakageof air into the apparatus during the operation thereof. Upon opening toggle catches Ilia, hooks [8 may be readily disengaged from the inwardly sloping peripheral portion It, thus permitting cover l2 to be removed from receptacle ll With cover l2 removed, water accumulated in receptacle H in the manner soon to be described may be conveniently dumped out.

Disposed on the upper surface of the cover i2 is a hose supporting reel 18 which may be fixedly secured thereto by a plurality of rivets IS. The reel '18 is further secured to the cover [2 by a nut 20 which engages the threaded lower portion 2| of a hose connection elbow 22, the elbow 22 serving as an inlet for the apparatus.

Extending transversely across the upper portion of the hose reel 78 is a carrying handle 23 which may be secured thereto by a pair of rivets 24 as best seen in Figs. 2 and 5.. The entire assembly consisting of hose reel 18, cover 12, and receptacle H may thus be conveniently lifted and carried about by grasping handle 23. With toggle catches |6a opened, the handle ZS-may be used for lifting the hose reel 18 and cover |,2 free from receptacle A latch 25 is .pivotally secured to the handle 25 by a transverse rivet 26. The latch 25 comprises a vertically downwardly extending portion '2? which will prevent the flexible hose wound upon hose reel it from unwinding, it being assumed that the hose is sowound that the last turn thereof is at the top of reel 18 thereby bringing it into position for engagement with downwardly extending portion 27 of latch 25. The hose may then be readily released and uncoiled for use by merely lifting latch 25.

Fixedly attached to the under side of the cover H by means of the screws l9 and depending therefrom is an outer labyrinth member '39 which may be annular and of unitary construction. The said .outer labyrinth member 3!} comprises a surroundingfside wall of stepped construction and comprisingthe vertical Walls Sta and 3m; and the horizontal walls 3&0 and Site. As best seen in Fig. 3 the member 30 is shaped at its lowermost portion to form a cylindrical float well St between the walls 30b and 3611, the lowermost wall 39d being provided with an aperture 32 giving free access thereto by accumulated water which reaches a suiiiciently high level in the receptacle II.

The outer labyrinth member "30 is furtherprovided with a narrow stepped portion 33 designed to seat therein the bottom edge portion of the lower vertical wall 34a of an intermediate labyrinth member 34. member 34 comprises 'in addition to the vertical surrounding wall 34a the upper vertical surrounding wall 341) and the horizontal wall 340. The said labyrinth member 34 is 'also provided with a narrowstepped portion 35 which -is-shaped as 'a seat for engagement with an inner labyrinth member 36, which-comprises a surrounding vertioal wall 36a and horizontal bottom wall 3%. The three labyrinth members 36, .34 and 35 are thus nested one within .theother permitting them to be readily disassembled for cleaning. It is noted that only the outer labyrinth :member 3.0 is held in attachment with the wall of the cover, the other two labyrinth members being held in position by nesting and without attachment.

An annular bafiie 30 of any desired type, such as, for example, thecross-sectional shape shown as resembling an inverted W, is disposed within the outer labyrinth member 30 and surrounds the lower portion of the intermediate labyrinth member 34. The baffle 4|) may be made of screening or of any suitable moisture absorbent material and serves to catch and thus permit moisture .to accumulate at the bottom of outer labyrinth member 30 where it may rest without further con- The intermediate labyrinth tact with the passing air stream. The inverted W shape of the bafile cross-section provides a greater area of contact with the passing air stream than would be obtained with a flat crosssection.

The cover member I2 is provided in the top wall thereof with an outlet opening 1| communicating directly with the interior of the inner labyrinth member 36. A hollow sleeve 4| extending upwardly into the hollow :area .12 of the hose reel and having its lower end threaded, is received in the opening 16. A nut 42 may be employed for securing the sleeve 4| in position.

The opening 11 of the sleeve 4! is tapered to frictional-1y receive; therein a nozzle or other hose connection from a vacuum cleaner or other suction producing device. The sleeve 4| thus serves as an air outlet from the apparatus. The suction producing device may take any wellknown form, such as, for example, a domestic type vacuum cleaner, a part of the hose connec- 7 tion T4 be'ingshownin Fig. 'l.

Disposed in the float well 31 is a float 43 which carries a vertically "upwardly extending rod'M.

' The float '43 is freely movable in the float well Si and the rod M passes through an aperture in the floor of inner labyrinth member '36, being freely movable therethrough. At its upper end and within the inner labyrinth member =35, rod carries a resilient valve disc 45 secured-thereto by a nut 4d. The valve disc 45 is in axial alignment with the center of the hollow sleeve 4 l.' Upon being moved upwardly by the rod M and opening to prevent air "from entering the '-labyrinth 36 from the float chamber.

The inlet elbow [22 whose lower end extends through the cover 12 -is adapted for removable engagement with a flexible hose 5% which may be coiled around the reel Iii-when not in use. The hose 5e thus communicates with the interior of the closed chamber formed by the receptacle H and cover I2. Disposed immediately below the lower endof elbow 22 is a deflecting baffle 5| shape'dito urge theentering stream of air and water against the inner side of receptacle H -to prevent undue splashing.

In Fig. l, the-flexible hose 5|! is'shown connected to a hollow tube '52 which carries at its lower end a suction cleaning device shown by way of illustration as 'a brush 53 suitable for use in scrubbing floor 5 3.

In operation, the floor '54 is first wetted with water or with a'mixtureof water and a detergent.

It may then be scrubbed with the'brushitt' or with any other suitable device in order to loosen the dirt and cause it to mingle with the water. .A vacuum cleaner or other source of suction is then connected to outlet sleeve ll by the tube i4 thereby creating va reduced air pressure in .the chamber Iformed'by 'thereceptacle V enters" brush 53 a'spirating the dirtyflwaten fromv floor 54.

.As the brush i3 is.

" Themixture of air and dirty water passes along the flexible hose 59 andzthroughinlet elbow 22 into the closed. chamber. formed cover I 2 and receptacle ll. .Thxstream of'air and water is then deflected againstthe inner side of receptacle II by the bafiie 'A' considerable amount of water will immediately be deposited in the bot-' tom of receptacle ll where it 'will accumulate. Some-water, however ma-y remain mixed with the air. The air then traverses receptacle ll passing from left to right in Fig. 3 and turns upwardly entering outer labyrinth member 30 through an aperture 55 located at the upper right hand side thereof.

The air stream then divides passing through outer labyrinth member 30 from right to left at both sides thereof as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4. In passing through the outer labyrinth member at, the air comes in contact with baffle it and much of the small amount of remaining moisture will be deposited thereon. The moisture thus deposited is retained by baffle 43 and surplus moisture drops to the floor of outer labyrinth member 30 where it cannot be picked up by the passing air stream.

After reaching the left hand side of outer labyrinth member 30, the air enters an aperture 55 in intermediate labyrinth member 34. The air then traverses intermediate-labyrinth member 36; passing from left to right as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4 and in so doing deposits further moisture. Upon reaching the right hand side of the intermediate labyrinth member 34, the air then enters an aperture 51 in the inner labyrinth member 36.

From the inner labyrinth member 36 the air passes through sleeve M to the vacuum cleaner or other suction producing device. After passing through the labyrinth formed by members es, 3t and 38 the air is practically moisture-free and can cause no damage to the suction producing device which is connected to outlet sleeve M. Moreover, the dirt aspirated from floor 55 will have been removed from the air stream along with the moisture.

By aspirating the dirty water from floor 54 the tedious labor of mopping is avoided and the floor is quickly dried and cleaned.

As hereinbefore described, when the water in the receptacle il reaches a predetermined level therein the float 43 will cause the valve =55 to shut off the force of suction from the vacuum cleaner and thus prevent any water from entering the vacuum cleaner apparatus to damage the same.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 have herein described the principle and operation of my invention, together with the construction which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

lay ng described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a water separating apparatus of the character described, a receptacle for accumulating the water, a cover of substantial depth removably engaging the receptacle to form a closed chamber, an inlet fora mixture of air and water communicating with the chamber, an outlet adapted for connection to a suction producing device, a labyrinth interposed between the outlet and the chamber, the outlet communicating with the chamber through the labyrinth, a sump casing carriedby said labyrinth and extending downwardly therefrom into said receptacle, and having a'fluid ingress opening formed in a lower wall thereof; asump-float-membier disposed in said sump casing, a. post extending upwardly from and carried by said sump float member, a valve disc carried by said post in spaced relation to said sump float member, and constructed and arranged to overlie and close said outlet when. liquid in said receptacle has filled the same sufli-- ciently to enter said sump casing and float said sump float member thereon to a predetermined liquid level, said post extending through an interior central portion of said labyrinth.

2. The construction according to claim 1, wherein said labyrinth comprises a plurality of coaxial annular walls mutually interspaced to define a plurality of labyrinth passages therebetween for the conduction of fluid therethrough, with openings formed in said annular walls to afford communication between adjacent passages so as to form a tortuous passage for said fluid, and having openings formed in said outermost annular wall for communication with said closed chamber to receive fluid therefrom, and having openings formed in the innermost of said annular walls for communication with said outlet to conduct fluid thereto, and a foraminous filter means disposed in at least one of said labyrinth passages in the path of fluid flow therethrough, to substantially block flow of entrained liquid therepast.

3. The construction according to claim 1,

wherein said labyrinth comprises a plurality of. coaxial annular walls mutually interspaced to= define a plurality of labyrinth passages there-- between for the conduction of fluid therethrough,, with an opening formed in the outermost of said.

annular walls to conduct fluid from said closed chamber therethrough, and with an opening formed through the innermost of said annular walls to conduct fluid to said outlet, and with openings in the annular walls intermediate said outermost and innermost annular walls for affording communication between adjacent labyrinth passages for said fluid flow therethrough, and constructed and arranged for maximum tortuosity of said flow, and a foraminous filter means disposed in at least one of said labyrinth V passages in the path of fluid flow therethrough to disentrain liquids contained in said fluid flowing therethrough, the labyrinth passage containing said foraminous filter being constructed with a depressed floor for increasing its cubic content, said filter being constructed substantially in substantially V-shaped undulations when viewed in cross section.

4. The construction according to claim 3, wherein said'outlet is disposed above said labyrinth and substantially coaxial therewith, the inner end of said outlet being constructed to form a valve seat, for sealing engagement with said valve disc when the latter is in elevated position, said valve dis-c being, when in elevated position disposed in the path of fluid flow, so that elevation of said sump float and with it said valve post and disc to a location near said seating en- 7 "gageme'n't, will cause the stream of said fluid flow to exert further substantial uplifting force on said valve disc, to seat it firmly against said valve seat, blocking further fluid flow through said outlet.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date White July 1'7, 1888 Number Number 8 Name Date Dettmar Aug. 15, 1911 Battle et a1 Mar. 6, 1934 Yutzler Aug. 20, 1940 Bevington, Jr. et a1. Dec. 19, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 25, 1887 Austria June 1, 1899 

